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FIREFIGHTER THE MAGAZINE OF THE FIRE BRIGADES UNION | WWW.FBU.ORG.UK | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 | CENTENARY EDITION “THE PAST WE INHERIT THE FUTURE WE BUILD” SEE P10 GENERAL SECRETARY’S COMMENT MATT WRACK OUR UNION YOUR UNION This October we formally HURD JESS mark 100 years since an independent trade union was created solely for firefighters. The Firemen’s Trade Union, as it was known then, was the first of its kind. Although a benefit society for firefighters had existed for many years, there was no specialist trade union to fight for better working conditions in fire brigades. Back then firefighters would live and work on stations as part of a continuous duty system where paid holidays, sick leave and pensions were non-existent. Although the strong bonds of community and comradeship kept people going, it was a brutal life where people felt powerless, trapped in the drudgery of dangerous, poorly paid work with no respite. A union was sorely needed. Matt Wrack (clenched fist, centre) on the FBU’s new appliance at the Notting Hill Carnival Fast forward a century and your union – the much more appropriately named or not, have had a trade represent members by organisation against the odds. Fire Brigades Union – is union fighting for a safer drowning us in bureaucracy They had to campaign, still fighting for you. world on their behalf. through the draconian fight and make sacrifices to Over the last 10 decades A strong, vibrant, Trade Union Act. build it. At times, many were our union has won battles for independent trade union for Our centenary offers us victimised for their stand. improved pay, entitlement to firefighters and emergency the chance to look back, take They also had to think paid holiday and sick leave as control staff is more stock and move forward. To carefully about, and well as access to pensions. needed today than ever. continue fighting with vigour debate, the challenges they We have paved the way for But our future is not for fair pay and conditions faced at various times. improvements to protective guaranteed. For the past and for full and proper We owe it to those still personal equipment, decade we have been in funding for the professional, to come into the service to training and procedures to a fight for our life. world famous fire and rescue continue that work – to think, ensure that firefighters can Never in our history has service we are all so proud of. debate, organise and struggle work safely at incidents. a government carried out If it seems like an – in the decades ahead so that Our union has success- such a sustained assault on difficult task with this it is a case of “the past we fully campaigned for better the fire and rescue service Tory government in inherit, the future we build”. public safety. The fact as the Tory-led governments power, remember that The fundamental strength there are fewer fires and have since 2010. the history of the FBU of the Fire Brigades Union fatalities today than 100 They are responsible provides extensive stories has and always will be years ago is no accident. for axing 12,000 frontline of struggle and heroism. you – the members. It is because the public, firefighter jobs and have It is the story of men This is your union; never whether they know it made it harder for us to and women who built an let anyone tell you otherwise. 2 FIREFIGHTER | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 7 CONTENTS 5 The FBU stall at this year’s TUC stood out from OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 the crowd with its centenary branding. One of its celebrity visitors took the shape of evil husband Simon Foster from BBC1’s Dr Foster – otherwise NEWS REGULARS known as actors’ Equity union member Bertie Carvel 4 FBU members’ Grenfell 5 Sounding off inquiry evidence Burma military must not 5 Police commissioner drops get away with genocide fire takeover bid 7 News focus FBU Red Plaque scheme FBU at the Trades gathers momentum Union Congress 6 Pay 8 Aerial ladder platform FEATURES Number of grass fires more than doubles 10 FBU centenary Gearing up for 17 Legal Beagle an unforgettable Asbestos has ceremony not gone away 12 Green peace 20 Noticeboard Union members New book explain the records 30 years benefits of gardens of FBU history in members’ own words 14 The Kings Cross fire 21 Station Cat Lessons were identified Appliances going cheap but not implemented 22 25-year badges 16 Firefighters 100 Lottery 24 FBU centenary FIREFIGHTER Published by the Fire Brigades Union Bradley House, 68 Coombe Road Kingston upon Thames KT2 7AE www.fbu.org.uk Firefighter production team: William Murphy, Anna Zych, Lisa Irving and Alan Slingsby Print: Southernprint Ltd, 17–21 Factory Road, Poole, BH16 5SN 10 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 | FIREFIGHTER 3 CARNIVAL JESS HURD/REPORTDIGITAL.CO.UK TUC First outing for the The FBU at the FBU’s new appliance 150th Trades Union is the Notting Hill Congress p7 NEWS Carnival p6 GUY SMALLMAN Firefighters join relatives and the local community to demand justice for the dead and survivors of Grenfell Tower at one of the silent walks on the monthly anniversary of the disaster FIREFIGHTERS’ EVIDENCE IS ‘HONEST AND CANDID’ GRENFELL Fire Brigades Union general secretary Stage two, not expected to begin Matt Wrack says it is clear that members until next year, will look at events and If you want to see what solidarity looks are taking part in the best possible faith. decisions leading up to the fire. like in action, look no further than the “This needs to be a thorough investi- The FBU has said Grenfell was a reaction of the firefighting community gation and our members who have death trap long before the night the fire to the questioning of watch manager been giving evidence have come across broke out and that the inquiry should Michael Dowden at the Grenfell extremely honestly and candidly in what look at events chronologically. Tower inquiry. they have said. In order to make that point, the FBU The first FBU member to give “It is heart wrenching to see people launched the Background to an Atrocity evidence to the inquiry, Michael having to relive what is probably the report, available on the FBU’s website. Dowden was questioned for three worst night of their lives. It provides an exhaustive history of 30 long and difficult days. It led to a swell “Every firefighter who responded was years of failed government policy that of support on social media where in an utterly impossible position dealing culminated in the Grenfell Tower fire. the hashtag #IAmMichaelDowden with a fire that had not been planned for Whether it was the FBU’s 1999 began trending. at all in the UK.” warning about fatal flammable cladding Similarly, all firefighters and The FBU has at times been critical of fires or how fire and rescue services’ emergency control operators who have the inquiry. It said the line of questioning ability to ensure building owners so far given evidence to the inquiry have put to Dowden was “absurd” and has complied with fire safety laws was been greeted by a show of support. said the inquiry is the wrong way round. watered down; it is clear that Grenfell Each day, as firefighters and emergency Stage one, the current stage, of the was an atrocity decades in the making. control operators give evidence, FBU inquiry will investigate what happened ■ Background to an Atrocity can be found officials are on hand to help. on the night itself. at: bit.ly/FBU-BtaA 4 FIREFIGHTER | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 SOUNDING OFF PCC DROPS BID TO TAKE The Burmese military must not be allowed to get away with genocide, says Anna OVER FIRE SERVICE Roberts, executive director of Burma Campaign UK HERTFORDSHIRE small fortune,” he said, “it has severely delayed the introduction of the county’s The FBU has welcomed Hertfordshire integrated risk management plan, an GENOCIDE police and crime commissioner David essential part of the strategy to keep Lloyd’s withdrawal of his application to people safe.” IN BURMA take over the local fire and rescue service. The FBU says police and crime Just over a year ago, the Burmese The “business case” for the takeover commissioners (PCCs) are a threat to military launched a horrific offensive included closing both police and fire the independence of the fire service and against ethnic Rohingya civilians. stations, causing uproar among local to firefighters’ terms and conditions, Using the pretext of attacks on people. The aborted scheme cost including pay and role maps. police stations by an armed group, taxpayers £100,000, including fees to At the time of writing, five PCCs have the genocidal attacks forced over the consultancy KPMG for writing been allowed to take over fire services 700,000 people to flee to Bangladesh. the proposal. in Essex, Cambridgeshire, Staffordshire, Thousands of women and girls The FBU’s executive council member West Mercia and Northamptonshire. suffered rape and sexual violence. for Eastern England, Brian Hooper, said More takeovers are being considered, Thousands were killed. voters would be “flabbergasted”. with Lancashire, North Yorkshire and Eyewitnesses saw babies and “Not only has this futile bid cost a Norfolk under threat. children snatched from their parents’ arms and thrown into burning homes or drowned in rivers. Families were FBU MEMORIAL SCHEME burned alive in their homes and villagers were lined up GATHERS MOMENTUM and shot. While the scale RED PLAQUES and intensity of attacks against the The FBU’s Red Plaque scheme is Rohingya may be different, going from strength to strength as the same tactics have been used by the more memorials to fallen firefighters army against Burma’s other ethnic are unveiled.